WAKHAN & the AFGHAN PAMIR

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MARCO POLO

68E

70E

Wakhan & the Afghan Pamir

72E

74E

Dushanbe

WAKHAN FACTS

UZBEKISTAN

38N

TAJIKISTAN

Country
Afghanistan

Khorog

HIGHLIGHTS

Snowcapped 7000m
Hindukush peaks beckon
true mountain lovers
Kyrgyz nomads in the heart
of the Afghan Pamir preserve
a vanishing way of life
Rare and spectacular
wildlife roam isolated high
elevation valleys
Sparkling mountain lakes of
Zorkol and Chaqmaqtin feed
Central Asias mighty Oxus River
Ancient Silk Road caravan
history inscribed in petroglyphs
showcases the archeology

36N

Province
Badakhshan

Faizabad

Kunduz

Khandud

Taluqan
Ishkashim

Qila-e Panja

Sarhad-e Broghil
see route map

Qazideh

Nearest InTERNATIONAL Airport

Kabul

Noshaq
7492m

Nearest Domestic Airport

Faizabad

PAKISTAN

Chitral

UZB
TAN
EKIS

N
TA
IS
EN

RK

TU

IRAN

Jalalabad

34N

100
20

40

2006 Mareile Paley

60

200
80

100

300 Kilometres
200 Miles

KHYBER
PASS

Gateway Town
Ishkashim

KAZAKHSTAN

District headquarters
Khandud

KYRGYZSTAN

TAJIKIS
KIIS
KIS
K
STAN
S

Main Villages
Qazideh, Qila-e Panja,
Goz Khun, Sarhad-e Broghil

CHINA

STAN

INDIA

Peshawar
0

Gilgit

PAKISTAN

Kabul

District
Wakhan

Islamabad

NE

PA

Population
approximately 12,000
in 1500 households
L

Languages
Persian, Wakhi and Kyrgyz

We were glad to seek shelter from

the keen air of these breezy
altitudes in the felt tents of the
Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir.
Sir Aurel Stein

DISCOVERING WAKHAN
WAKHAN IS A LAND SO REMOTE THAT FEW OUTSIDERS HAVE EVER VENTURED THERE. YET THROUGH WAKHAN
FLOWED A VITAL BRANCH OF THE GRAND TRANS-ASIAN ARTERY KNOWN AS THE SILK ROAD, LINKING EAST TO WEST.
PETROGLYPHS DEPICTING WARRIORS, HUNTING SCENES, CARAVANS AND BUDDHIST HISTORY, ALONG WITH THE
OCCASIONAL RABOT OR TRAVELLERS SHELTER, BEAR SILENT WITNESS TO THE TRACKS OF TRADITION, AND OFFER
THE VISITOR A GLIMPSE INTO THE RICH HERITAGE OF PILGRIMS, CARAVANS AND ARMIES THAT ONCE TRAVERSED
THIS CLASSIC ROUTE.

The great explorers who visited Wakhan are still a

source of inspiration and wonder for todays intrepid
travellers Hsuan Tsang, the 7th century Chinese monk
who went in search of Buddhist teachings; Marco Polo,
who in the 13th century journeyed overland to China;
Mirza Muhammad Haidar, who chronicled the Moghul
Empire in the 16th century; Lieutenant John Wood and
Lord Curzon, Englishmen who searched for the source of
the Oxus River in the 19th century; Sir Aurel Stein, the
20th century British archeologist who sought to unravel
the Buddhist history of Innermost Asia; and mountaineer
H.W. Tilman who sought unknown routes across the
mountain ranges.
Snowcapped peaks soar majestically above villages
and glaciers descend precipitously to feed raging rivers
in this land of immense scale, beauty and contrast. On
the Afghan Pamir, the unimaginably wide open spaces
seem to extend forever. Here youre more likely to bump
into a big-horned sheep or a brown bear than another
human being.
Yet Wakhan is also home to hardy mountain people
Wakhi farmers and herders, who greet guests with
unmatched hospitality a warm smile, a cup of tea and a
bowl of yogurt and the last remaining Kyrgyz nomads,
whose welcoming yurts dot the fertile grasslands of the
Afghan Pamir.
www.wakhan.org

In the middle of the Pamir valley is

a great dragon lake, clean and pure as a
mirror; the colour of the lake is
dark blue and the taste of
the water sweet and soft.
Hsuan Tsang

THE AFGHAN PAMIR

THE LAND

Pamir are unique U-shaped, high-elevation mountain

valleys distinctive to Central Asia, where there are more
than half a dozen named pamir. Renowned as summer
grazing grounds for their abundant grass and water,
these vast plateaus are covered by snow six months
of the year.

Afghanistans Wakhan District is a narrow strip of land

separating Tajikistan and Pakistan that juts eastward some
350km to meet the China border. Wakhan District has two
distinct parts the Wakhan Corridor and the Afghan Pamir.
All of Wakhan lies at elevations higher than 2000m and the
Afghan Pamir lies above 3500m.

with Pakistan, has 38 summits higher than 7000m, including

Afghanistans highest peak Noshaq (7492m). Permanent
snow blankets Wakhans highest peaks. The high, open valleys
between these three mountain ranges form the Afghan Pamir,
known in Persian as the Bam-e Dunya, or the roof of the
world, which is home to Kyrgyz nomads.

The Afghan Pamir include two such grasslands at the

eastern end of Wakhan the Big Pamir and the Little
Pamir, which are better known by their Persian names.
The Big Pamir or Great Pamir is called Pamir Kalan
and Pamir-e-Buzurg (kalan and buzurg both mean
great or large). The Little Pamir is called Pamir Khurd
and Pamir-e-Kochak (khurd and kochak both mean
little or small).

The Wakhan Corridor is a deep valley formed by the Panj River

that courses between the 7000m peaks of the Hindukush to
the south and the lofty mountains of Tajikistan to the north.
Along the south bank of the Panj River and its upper tributary,
the Wakhan River, are numerous Wakhi villages. The villages
between Ishkashim and Qila-e Panja are termed Lower
Wakhan. More than 5000m of vertical relief commands the
southern horizon of Lower Wakhan, where the valley is as
broad as 2km. The villages in Upper Wakhan between Qila-e
Panja and Sarhad-e Broghil lie along the more narrow banks
of the Wakhan River, which opens to a dramatic river basin
3km wide at Sarhad-e Broghil. Streams fed by precipitous
Hindukush glaciers cut across the Wakhan Corridor and flow
into the main river.

High passes called kotal transect the mountain ranges and

were used by armies and ancient trade caravans. In the
Afghan Pamir, passes, although at high elevation, are relatively
easy for people to cross. The passes across the more rugged
Hindukush are more difficult. The key Hindukush passes are:
Broghil Pass (3882m) and Darwaza Pass (4288m) to Chitral;
Khodarg Werth (or Khora Bort Pass) to Ishkoman; and Irshad
Uween (4979m) and Dilisang Pass (5290m) to Gojal.

The 60km long Big Pamir nestles between the Southern

Alichur Range to the north and the Wakhan Range to
the south. The Little Pamir, at 100km long and 10km
wide, is actually larger in area than the Big Pamir, yet
the more rugged Big Pamir has a higher elevation and
so earns its name. The proper name Pamirs typically
refers to the Central Asian mountain range that extends
from Tajikistan into Afghanistan and China.

Three mountain ranges the Hindukush, Karakoram and

Pamir converge in Wakhan to form what is called the
Pamir Knot. The Hindukush Range, which forms the border

THE MOTHER RIVER

All of Wakhan is a semi-arid zone. In the Wakhan Corridor,

agriculture is only possible through irrigation, fed by
meltwater in the streams descending from the mountains.
Apart from occasional clusters of shrubs or willow, birch and
other small trees, the landscape is largely barren of vegetation.
Above 3500m, the valleys widen onto the expansive Afghan
Pamir with its lush seasonal meadows, peaty soil, and vivid
blue lakes.

The Amu Darya or Mother River is the Persian name

for the river that classical Greek geographers called the
Oxus. It forms much of Afghanistans northern border
with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and courses more than
2400km across Central Asia to the Aral Sea. The Amu
Darya, one of Afghanistans four major river systems,
has its source in the icy heights of the Pamir Mountains
at the head of Wakhans Wakhjir Valley. Joined by the
stream coming from Chaqmaqtin Lake south of Bozai
Gumbaz, it becomes the Wakhan River, which is met
at Qila-e Panja by the Pamir River flowing from Zorkol.
Downstream of Qila-e Panja, the river is called the
Ab-e Panja (Panj River) and flows through a deep gorge
forming the border between Afghanistans Badakhshan
Province and Tajikistan. Finally, east of Kunduz, its joined
by Tajikistans Vaksh River and becomes the Amu Darya
for the remainder of its course across Central Asia.

The Oxus is a river whose headwaters,

tell of forgotten peoples and secrets of
unknown lands, and are believed to have
rocked the cradle of our race.
Lord Curzon

WAKHAN ACTIVITIES

CULTURAL
CONSIDERATIONS

A JOURNEY THROUGH WAKHAN IS THE VERY ESSENCE OF ADVENTURE TRAVEL. AROUND EVERY TURN IN THE ROAD
OR TRAIL ARE TANTALIZING MOUNTAINS, UNKNOWN WILDERNESS, AND FASCINATING VILLAGES AND NOMAD
CAMPS. WITH EVERY STEP DEEPER INTO THE MOUNTAINS, YOU DISCOVER A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF ADVENTURE.
WALK ALONG THE ROAD, WANDER THROUGH VILLAGES, EXPLORE THE INVITING MOUNTAIN PASSES. TRAVEL WITH
THE GRACIOUS AND HOSPITABLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, SHARING THEIR HARDIHOOD. EXPERIENCING THESE
MOUNTAINS FIRST-HAND IS INCOMPARABLE AND UNFORGETTABLE.

Trekking, by far the most popular activity in Wakhan,

is traditionally a multi-day overland journey on foot involving the support of a trek crew who transport your personal belongings and gear such as tents, food and cooking
equipment. Todays trekking styles vary from backpacking
where you carry everything yourself, trekking with porters
who transport your gear using pack animals (yak, donkey,
camel or horse), buying an animal and leading it yourself
(usually a donkey, hence the name donkey trekking), or
hiring a tour operator who organises your trek.
Distances in the Afghan Pamir are so great that you
may want to hop a ride during part of your trek (called
yak trekking). Yaks, strong shaggy beasts, are regularly
used by local people to transport gear, but are also fun
to ride and useful for crossing rivers rather than fording
them. In winter when rivers are frozen solid, its possible
for intrepid travellers to move on these icy pathways in
traditional caravans of double-humped Bactrian camels.
Its more common, especially with Kyrgyz, to travel
on horseback. Horse trekking, where your horse is your
transportation vehicle and your travelling companion,
allows you to move faster than on foot, relieves you of
having to transport gear separately, and also facilitates
navigating river crossings and steep slopes. You can go
horse trekking even if you have little experience with
horses by hiring a horse trekking tour operator.
www.wakhan.org

The unique attractions for mountaineering in

Wakhan are several easily accessible 7000m peaks of the
Hindukush, including Afghanistans highest peak Noshaq
(7492m), and numerous peaks higher than 6000m awaiting first ascents. The glaciated side valleys in the Big Pamir
offer a host of virgin peaks. Extreme adventurers will find a
playground for climbing and ski mountaineering.
The isolation and remoteness of Wakhan, its natural
beauty, and its cultural diversity are ideal for cultural
touring in 4WD vehicles. Exploring the cultural heritage,
meeting people on village walks, day hiking and untrammelled camping each night combine to please the most
venturesome visitors.
Unlimited opportunities for photography and discovering the rich natural history abound. Birdwatching,
easily combined with other activities in Wakhan, is superb.
Some of the best is along the Panj River and Wakhan River
as you drive between Ishkashim and Sarhad-e Broghil. The
upland rivers and lakes are nesting grounds for geese,
ducks and ibises, as well as spring and fall stopovers for
migratory waterfowl and raptors. Marshy flats and oxbow
lakes provide year-round habitat for many wading birds.
The pristine natural environment boasts ideal wildlife
viewing where charismatic species such as Marco Polo
sheep (Ovis ammon polii), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), and

THE WEATHER
brown bear (Ursus arctos) make their home, particularly in
the Wakhjir Valley and in the numerous side valleys of the
Big Pamir. The whistling alarm call of ubiquitous long-tailed
marmots (Marmota caudata) alerts you to their presence
before they dive into their burrows. (Inadvertently stepping into a marmot burrow may be the greatest physical
danger for anyone trekking in the Afghan Pamir!) Grey
wolf, red fox, Afghan urial (Ovis orientalis), ibex (Capra
ibex), and other wild cats also thrive in this high and wild
terrain. Ethereal and wonderfully unique butterflies grace
summer wildflowers.
A few ambitious cyclists have already made their
way to Wakhan. The road through the Wakhan Corridor
is there for mountain biking, but youd better be a good
bike mechanic and have an ample supply of spare parts
and tires.
Wakhan is an undiscovered, uncrowded gem not
yet on the tourist map of the world. Cultivate a spirit of
adventure and open heartedness, and add to it self reliance, sound judgment and good planning and you have
the recipe for an unforgettable trip to one of the earths
most exotic landscapes.

Wakhan is at its best during the short summer, which

lasts from late June to mid-September. It is followed by a
long winter from late September to early June with cold
temperatures and severe, snowy conditions characteristic
of this subarctic mountain climate. Wakhan receives
fewer than 10cm of annual rainfall, much of it coming in
the form of snowfall. Infamously fierce winds known as
bad-e Wakhan blow throughout the year, fueling summer
dust storms and winter blizzards. Unpredictable and
changeable weather is a given in the mountains, and it can
snow any month of the year in the Afghan Pamir.

WHEN TO GO
The tourist season in Wakhan is relatively short, starting in
May or June and lasting until September or early October.
From April to early June, melting snow swells rivers and
high water blocks road access to many areas, making some
rivers crossings impassable by foot, animal or vehicle.
Many areas only become accessible as of early July. The
later in summer you travel, the easier it is to cross streams
and rivers, and the greater the likelihood of being able to
drive as far as Sarhad-e Broghil. August to mid-September
is the optimal travel time. By early September, however,
snow can close trails and roads for the season.

THE RESPECTFUL TOURIST:

behaves conservatively as a show of respect for the local culture
is humble and grateful when accepting offers of local food while
not taking advantage of generous hospitality, and pays for food
and accommodation
wears loose, long-sleeved, unrevealing shirts, and full-length
pants that cover the ankles
wearing a hat or scarf is optional for women travelling through
Wakhi and Kyrgyz areas, but is advisable elsewhere in Badakhshan
doesnt drink alcohol in public view
refrains from all public displays of affection
contributes to the local economy by patronizing local businesses,
hiring porters and buying local products, which encourages local
people to conserve their natural resource base
asks permission before photographing people or sacred places
makes donations through established organizations or
respected community leaders, and doesnt give handouts to
beggars or children

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
THE RESPECTFUL TOURIST:
lessens the negative impact on the environment
travels in a small party to minimise overall impact, but avoids
travelling alone
cooks on a kerosene stove avoiding wood or dung fires since
these fuels are a scarce resource that belong to the local people
brings adequate warm clothing to avoid relying on campfires
for warmth
bathes, washes dishes and clothes with a basin and discards
soapy water at least 50m from water sources
relieves ones self at least 50m from open water sources or
campsites since toilets dont exist
burns rubbish that can be burnt and packs out other rubbish
leaves campsites the same way they were on arrival; doesnt
clear vegetation, cut trees, limbs or branches, and doesnt move
rocks from walls or canals
doesnt write names or mark graffiti on rocks
doesnt hunt or trade in endangered species
refrains from harassing or feeding wildlife or eating wild game
patronises tour operators who commit to environmentally
responsible tourism

THE RESPECTFUL TOURIST:

is law abiding and obtains necessary permission(s) for the route
respects the sovereignty of international borders and obtains all
required permission for cross-border routes
takes responsibility for ones actions and avoids foolhardy decisions

RECOMMENDED ITINERARIES
from
Ishkashim

WITH ONE WEEK
Drive to Sarhad-e Broghil enjoying beautiful scenery, village walks,
diverse cultural exchanges, and visits to intriguing roadside tombs,
shrines and petroglyphs.
A shorter road trip as far as Qila-e Panja allows for a side trip
to the confluence of the Pamir and Wakhan Rivers and a visit
to Avgarch village.
The spectacular route to Noshaq Base Camp offers world-class
trekking just an hours drive from Ishkashim.

WITH TWO WEEKS
Try one longer route to picturesque Zorkol in the Big Pamir,
or to the nearest Kyrgyz camps in the Little Pamir.
Combine two routes by traversing the Big Pamir starting from
Goz Khun to Zorkol, and then to Sarhad-e Broghil in Upper Wakhan.
Attempt a cross-border route from Sarhad-e Broghil in Upper
Wakhan to Pakistans Northern Areas.

WITH THREE WEEKS
Visit Chaqmaqtin Lake in the Little Pamir and outlying
Kyrgyz settlements.
Enjoy wildlife viewing in the Little Pamirs Wakhjir Valley.
Combine routes by visiting the Big Pamir and more remote
areas of the Little Pamir.

Wakhan & the Afghan Pamir Routes

Qila-e Panja to Sarhad-e Broghil
Broghil Pass
Zorkol River Route
Zorkol High Route
Kotal-e Shaur
Kashch Goz High Route
Kashch Goz River Route
Chaqmaqtin Lake
Wakhjir Valley
Irshad Uween
Dilisang Pass

S O

R N
H E
T
U

A L I C H U R

KOTAL-E
ANDAMIN
River

KOTAL-E
SHAUR
4890m

Chaqmaqtin
Lake

UWEEN-E-SAR
4887m

15

Pan

er
Riv

Langar

20 Kilometres

10

15

20 Miles

Qila-e Panja
Khandud

Goz Khun
Wuzed
Avgarch

Sast

Sarhad-e
Purwaksh Neshtkhwar Ptukh Broghil

KOTAL-E SARGEZ

Shelk

Sargez

Wardi

Kret

Nirs
BROGHIL PASS

Baba Tungi
6513m

3882m

DALIZ PASS

Langar

Borak
Wak

T A

to Mastuj

Lasht

H U N VA L

KILIK PASS

4927m

4827m

MINTAKA PASS

Wakhjir Rive
r

4726m

DILISANG PASS

4267m

5290m

DILI

DARWAZA PASS
4288m

SA

NG

IRSHAD UWEEN

Karambar
Lake

YA R K

WAKHJIR PASS

iver
han R

VA

4979m

Baba
Ghundi

KARAMBAR AN

to Ishkashim

2006 Mareile Paley / Markus Hauser

4595m

4320m

CHILINJI AN
5160m

LL

EY

to Kashgar
m

10

KOTAL-E WUZED

CHA

P U R S A N VA L L

Zood Khun

EY

ra

AQBELIS PASS

4820m

4872m

Kalam Darchi
to Misgar

ko

seasonal settlement
0

KOTAL-E
QARABEL

Koh-e Pamir
6320m

ra

smaller village

KOTAL-E TEGERMANSU

Bozai Gumbaz
Kashch
Goz

to Gilgit

Ka

Pamir

main village

Shaymak

R A N
G E
Zorkol

Highw a y

WAKHAN & THE AFGHAN PAMIR ROUTES

LITTLE PAMIR

LOWER WAKHAN

BIG PAMIR

NOSHAQ BASE CAMP

ZORKOL RIVER ROUTE (see on route map)

KOTAL-E SHAUR (see on route map)

DURATION
8 days round trip
STANDARD
moderate
START/FINISH Goz Khun
Zorkol, largest lake in the Afghan Pamir (20km by 2-5km)
stunning scenery along Pamir River with no passes to cross
easier and shorter route than Zorkol High Route
side trips possible to several side valleys linking to Zorkol High Route

DURATION
10 days round trip
STANDARD
demanding
START/FINISH Sarhad-e Broghil
links Upper Wakhan with Zorkol
option to link Big Pamir with Little Pamir routes
cross three passes each way: Daliz (4267m),
Kotal-e Qarabel (4820m) and glaciated Kotal-e Shaur (4890m)
impressive high mountain scenery from Kotal-e Shaur

DURATION
5-6 days round trip
STANDARD
moderate
START/FINISH Qazideh
visit base camp (4450m) of Noshaq (7492m), Afghanistans
highest summit and second highest peak in the Hindukush
superb close-up views of four 7000m peaks
Wakhans best short trek
trailhead less than one hours drive from Ishkashim

UPPER WAKHAN

QILA-E PANJA TO SARHAD-E BROGHIL (see on route map)

DURATION
3-4 days one way
STANDARD
easy
START
Qila-e Panja
FINISH
Sarhad-e Broghil
walk along road visiting friendly Wakhi villages
alternative when road to Sarhad-e Broghil
is blocked by landslides or floods
good views of Baba Tungi (6513m)
ideal for donkey trekking
hot spring in Sarhad-e Broghil

BROGHIL PASS (see on route map)

DURATION
1 day
STANDARD
easy
START/FINISH Nirs
broad, grassy (3882m) pass on Afghanistan-Pakistan border
perfect for horseback riding
historic pass, lowest pass across Hindukush Range
side trips to ancient forts above villages en route
Warning: Crossing the Broghil Pass into Pakistan is not permitted.
www.wakhan.org

ZORKOL HIGH ROUTE (see on route map)

DURATION
10 days round trip
STANDARD
demanding
START/FINISH Sargez or Wuzed
challenging route crosses three passes (4300m-4500m) each way
wildlife watching
trekking peak possibilities
Wakhi summer settlements and Kyrgyz camps

ROUTE DIFFICULTY
EASY: trails below 3500m, 3-4 days
500m daily elevation change

no pass crossings, no glacier travel

MODERATE: trails below 4500m, less than 1 week
1000m daily elevation change

cross a pass below 4500m

DEMANDING: trails below 5000m, 1 week or more
1500m daily elevation change

cross a pass below 5000m

less than one day nontechnical glacier travel

VERY DEMANDING: rugged trails below 5000m, 1 week or more
2000m daily elevation change

cross a glaciated pass above 5000m

one day technical glacier travel

There is nothing in my experience more

fascinating than finding and crossing an
unknown pass across a mountain range.
The more important the watershed,
geographically speaking, the more
satisfying the achievement. Eric Shipton

DURATION
9-10 days round trip
STANDARD
demanding
START/FINISH Sarhad-e Broghil
cross three passes each way: grassy Daliz (4267m),
snow-covered Uween-e-Sar (4887m) and
flower-carpeted Aqbelis (4595m)
petroglyphs at Sang Nevishta
Wakhi summer settlements and Kyrgyz camps
accessible during summer when Kashch Goz River Route
is blocked by high water

DURATION
9-11 days round trip
STANDARD
demanding
START/FINISH Sarhad-e Broghil
renowned lake, source of Murghab River or Aksu
second largest lake (9km by 2km) in the Afghan Pamir
follow Kashch Goz High Route or River Route to Kashch Goz
allow at least 1 day each way between Kashch Goz and lake
Kyrgyz tombs at Bozai Gumbaz
several Kyrgyz camps along route
hot spring
side trip to Tegermansu (3-4 days one way from Chaqmaqtin
Lake) and Kotal-e Tegermansu (4872m) on Afghanistan-China
border, easternmost area of Little Pamir
Warning: All passes leading into Tajikistan and China
are strictly off-limits to foreigners.

KASHCH GOZ HIGH ROUTE (see on route map)

KASHCH GOZ RIVER ROUTE (see on route map)

DURATION
6-7 days round trip
STANDARD
moderate
START/FINISH Sarhad-e Broghil
cross one pass each way: Daliz Pass (4267m)
one day shorter than Kashch Goz High Route
Wakhi winter settlements at Langar, and Kyrgyz camps
route along Wakhan River used only when low water and in winter

CHAQMAQTIN LAKE (see on route map)

WAKHJIR VALLEY (see on route map)

DURATION
14-16 days round trip
STANDARD
demanding
START/FINISH Sarhad-e Broghil
superb wildlife viewing in upper Wakhjir Valley
remote wilderness of breathtaking beauty
primary source of the Oxus River
follow Kashch Goz High Route or River Route to Kashch Goz
Warning: The Wakhjir Pass (4927m) on the Afghanistan-China
border is strictly off-limits to foreigners.

At Sarhad, the Oxus bursts from the

gorge and, rejoicing in its freedom,
spreads in meandering streams over
a wide flat stony valley. H.W. Tilman

CROSS-BORDER
Anyone in search of real adventure will relish the
world-class mountain travel opportunity of a
cross-border route.
Special permission for cross-border routes from
the Little Pamir to Pakistans Northern Areas is
required from the governments of both Afghanistan
and Pakistan in addition to obtaining visas
for both countries (see the Wakhan Travellers'
Information insert for further information).
IRSHAD UWEEN (see on route map)
DURATION
8-9 days one way
STANDARD
demanding
START
Sarhad-e Broghil
FINISH
Chapursan Valley, Northern Areas, Pakistan
historic trading route from Little Pamirs Bai Qara Valley
to Chapursan Valley
cross one 4979m snow-covered, but nonglaciated pass
challenging river crossings
multi-coloured rock formations
allow 4 days between Kashch Goz and Baba Ghundi

DILISANG PASS (see on route map)

DURATION
11-12 days one way
STANDARD
very demanding
START
Sarhad-e Broghil
FINISH
Misgar, Northern Areas, Pakistan
Little Pamirs Wakhjir Valley to Misgar
cross one or three passes en route to Wakhjir Valley
cross one 5290m glaciated pass on Afghanistan-Pakistan border
spectacular high mountain experience
side trip to head of Wakhjir Valley (2-3 days)

THE PEOPLE

For more than 2500 years the Wakhan Corridor has been
the homeland of Wakhi people, who refer to themselves
as Wakhik or Khik. Today about 10,000 Wakhi live in
Afghanistans Wakhan District, with another 40,000 living in
adjacent areas of Tajikistan, Pakistan and China. Wakhi live in
year-round villages extending from Qazideh (2800m) at the
western end of Lower Wakhan to Sarhad-e Broghil (3300m) at
the eastern end of Upper Wakhan. Wakhi people are farmers,
who cultivate wheat, barley, peas, potatoes and a few apricot
trees at the upper limits of agriculture, where production is
rarely sufficient. Chinir, a festival celebrating the start of the
barley harvest, occurs around the first week of August. Wakhi
depend on livestock to supplement their agriculture, and
almost all households have some animals. Wealthier families
have many sheep, goats and yaks along with a few camels,
horses and donkeys. Every summer, Wakhi people take their
livestock to summer pastures as high as 4500m, where the
animals grow fat on abundant grass. Wakhi people speak
Wakhi, which they call Khikwor. It belongs to the Pamir group
of Iranian languages and is spoken throughout Wakhan. Most
men also speak Persian, which is used as a link language to
communicate with people from other parts of Afghanistan.
Wakhi people are Ismaili Muslims, whose spiritual leader is
the Aga Khan.

www.wakhan.org

KUCH
Here
could
go
a
caption
The annual seasonal migration, or kuch, of Wakhi people and
Trek to
Tegermansu
their livestock
to and
from summerValley.
pastures is a colorful sight.

THE KYRGYZ

Yaks piled high with cauldrons, bedding and household goods

move along the trail, while large mastiff-like dogs trot beside
them. Wakhi women, swathed in red scarves and shawls, ride
on yaks and camels with young children clinging behind their
mothers. Infants ride in cloth-draped cradles perched on the
backs of yaks and the men walk alongside, leading the yaks, or
ride on horses.
The spring migration usually departs from the villages in
the first week of June. During the summer, the kuch moves
progressively upvalley to higher grazing areas, and in autumn
they retrace their routes downvalley. The joyous return
migration arrives in the villages in the second or third week
of October. Travellers may encounter these caravans in the
Afghan Pamir, especially on trails leading to and from the
Little Pamir.
2004 John Mock

THE WAKHI

Central Asias Altai mountains along the western border of

Mongolia are the traditional home of the Kyrgyz, a Turkic
pastoral nomadic group. Each summer, small bands of
Kyrgyz would migrate from lower valleys in Central Asia to
the Afghan Pamir, but following the 1917 Soviet revolution,
several thousand Kyrgyz settled permanently in the Big Pamir
and Little Pamir. Their once wide-ranging migration became
a series of short, seasonal movements within the closed
frontiers of the high-altitude Afghan Pamir. Kyrgyz live in felt
yurts or oey, which they move seasonally according to available
pasture, sunlight and shelter from wind. Their settlements lie
between elevations of 4000m and 4500m. The Kyrgyz tend
herds of fat-tailed sheep, goats, yaks and Bactrian camels,
and trade with Wakhi neighbors or travelling merchants for
all their needs not supplied by their livestock. Following the
Soviet-backed 1978 coup in Afghanistan, some 1300 Kyrgyz,
led by Haji Rahman Qul, left the Afghan Pamir for Pakistan.
In 1982 this group of Kyrgyz was resettled in the mountains
of eastern Turkey. Today, about 1400 Kyrgyz remain in the
Afghan Pamir. Their language is also called Kyrgyz, which is
from the Kipchak group of northwestern Turkic languages.
Most Kyrgyz men also speak Wakhi. Like all Turkic people,
Kyrgyz are Sunni Muslims.

It was a delightfully cosy yurt, carpeted

with bright felt rugs. Plenty of embroidered
cushions and other fineries attested the
owners wealth and comfort.
8

Sir Aurel Stein

WAKHAN ACROSS THE CENTURIES

Visit www.wakhan.org for updated Wakhan travellers information.

WAKHAN TRAVELLERS INFORMATION

2004 John Mock

ENGLISH

How are you (doing)?

Im fine
How are you?
Im well
Where are you going?
What is your name?
My name is ...
What is that?
Im tired
Sit down
Drink tea
Eat food
Go!

Numerous rock carvings bear silent

witness to the tracks of tradition
that traverse Wakhan.

GREETINGS

WAKHI

KYRGYZ

ENGLISH

WAKHI

chiz hol he?

bidurt em
tut syeta?
wuzem syet
kumeret takh?
t nunge chst?
zhu nunge ...
yo chz?
washk vitk
nezdita
cho pev
shapk yo
chow

abalngz qanday?
jaqsh
zungz qandaysz?
jaman emes
kayda barasz?
atngz kim?
menim atim ...
Bul emne?
men ajz
olturunguz
ich chay
jhe tamaq
ket

yes/no
Where is ... available?
I need ...
how?
how much/many?
what?
when?
where?
who?
day/night
morning/evening
yesterday/today/
tomorrow
beautiful
fire
house (yurt)
mountain
rock
stream (glacial/clear)

yan/net
... esh kumer goten?
mrey ... dirkor
tse sokht?
tsumar?
chz?
tsogdar?
kumar?
kui?
ror/naghd
sahr/purz
yez/wothg/
pg
khushrui
rakhngh
khun
koh
gar
dur/zherav

hello (peace be with you)

and with you
goodbye (God be with you)

asalaam alekum
wa alekum salaam
khuda hafiz

KYRGYZ

ENGLISH

oshondoy/joq
... di qayerden?
magha ... kerek
qancha pul/turat?
bul emne?
qachan?
qachan?
qayerde?
kit?
kun/tun
erteng menen/kech
kechee/bgn/
erteng
supu
ot
oey
too
too tek
darya

trail
water
good/bad
left/right
cold/hot
rain/sun
snow
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
50
100

WAKHI

KYRGYZ

videkh
yupk
baf/shak
chap/rost
sur/thin
mor/yr
zem

jolu
su
jhakshi/jhaman
solgo/onggho
tsuuq/isik
jamghr/kun
qar

yu
bu
tro
tsabur
pnz
shth
hub
hth
nao
thas
buwista thas
ysad

bir
eki
ch
trt
besh
alt
jeti
segiz
toghuz
on
el
bir jz

GETTING THERE TO AFGHANISTAN

By Air
Afghanistans capital Kabul has regional air links with its neighbouring
countries of Iran (Tehran), Tajikistan (Dushanbe), China (Urumqi) and Pakistan
(Islamabad, Quetta), but lacks air links with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
International flights to Kabul also operate from India (Delhi, Amritsar),
United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Sharjah), Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Riyadh), Kuwait
(Kuwait City), Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara), Russia (Moscow) and Germany
(Munich, Frankfurt).
By Road
Foreigners can enter Afghanistan by road from Iran (Mashad to Herat),
Pakistan (Peshawar to Kabul via the Khyber Pass), and Tajikistans Gorno
Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (at Ishkashim). The Ishkashim border
checkpost is a two-hour drive from Khorog, which has air links with Dushanbe,
or a two-day road trip from Dushanbe.
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan (the road Hairatin to Mazar-e Sharif is only open
to official traffic), and China do not have any road links open to foreigners.
The Afghanistan-China frontier is a military zone, which is strictly off-limits.

www.wakhan.org

The people of Wakhan welcome travellers and are

looking to tourism to spur their economic growth and
prosperity in the 21st century.

Text 2005 John Mock & Kimberley ONeil

Maps 2006 Mareile Paley, info@paleyphoto.com
Illustrations 2006 Kactus Design Ltd.
Photography 2005 Matthieu Paley, www.paleyphoto.com, except where noted

Warning: Foreigners who attempt a cross-border route without explicit

permission for that route are subject to being shot at, taken into custody by
authorities, and accused of spying or smuggling. Such foolhardy decisions can
not only create an international incident, but also run the risk that authorities
may further restrict access to these border areas for everyone.

British accounts of the early 19th century mention

Wakhan as a remote and little known mountain state whose
ruler was a vassal of the Mir of Badakhshan. Lieutenant
John Wood of the British Navy was sent to survey the
upper Amu Darya, seeking the source of the Oxus River,
and reached Wakhan in January 1838. Wood found the
ruler impoverished from taxes imposed by Badakhshan,
the land insufficient in grain production with livestock the
only wealth, and reached Zorkol, which he identified as
the source of the Oxus. The British sent a series of native
explorers or pandits through Wakhan between 1860 and
1870, and in 1873, a British mission visited Wakhan and
met Mir Fateh Ali Shah and his son, Ali Murdan Shah.
The mission noted Wakhans relations through marriage
with neighboring princely states of Shugnan and Kanjut
(Hunza). At that time Wakhan encompassed both banks
of the Panj River and its two upper tributaries, the Pamir
River and Wakhan River.

The geopolitical rivalry between Great Britain

and Russia, known as The Great Game, led to the
dissolution of the principality of Wakhan at the end of the
19th century and the formation of new borders. Wakhan
became in effect a buffer zone separating the British and
Russian empires. Subsequent geopolitical events of the
20th century resulted in closed borders with the Soviet
Union and China, leaving Wakhan District cut off and
isolated. The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the
subsequent civil war and Taliban rule kept Wakhan closed
to travellers from 1979 until the establishment of the
Karzai government in 2002.

CROSS-BORDER PERMISSION
A visa for a country does not constitute permission to cross an
international border where there is no legal border crossing or immigration
checkpost. Foreigners must request special permission from the governments
of both countries for such an international border crossing. The special
permission constitutes permission to exit one country at a given location,
and permission to enter another country at a given location with notation of
where foreigners will handle immigration formalities.
In Afghanistan, contact ATO. In Pakistan, contact the Government of
Pakistan, Ministry of Tourism (email secretary@tourism.gov.pk, telephone 9251-9213642, fax 92-51-9215912), Green Tower Trust, 11th floor, Blue Area,
Islamabad, Pakistan.

Both Chinese and Tibetan records mention Wakhan

as a kingdom, and both powers contested the region
and its rich trade during the 7th and 8th centuries. Trade
brought the first known European traveller to the area
in the 13th century, the Italian voyager Marco Polo who
first mentioned the big-horned sheep that bear his name.
Mirza Muhammad Haidar, a member of the Moghul
dynasty that controlled Kashgar and India, completed his
Tarikh-i-Rashidi in 1545, in which he described his travels
through Wakhan, which he knew as a part of Badakhshan.
Benedict de Gos, a Jesuit, apparently travelled through
Wakhan on his way from India to China in 1603, although
he did not specifically mention Wakhan.

TEXT by John Mock & Kimberley ONeil, www.mockandoneil.com

DESIGN & LAYOUT by Kactus Design Ltd., www.kactusdesign.com
PRINTING by Colorline, www.colorline.com.pk

WAKHAN PERMISSION
Special permission is required for travel anywhere in Wakhan District
essentially anywhere beyond (east of) Ishkashim. This permission is not
required for travel elsewhere in Badakhshan Province outside Wakhan
District. No separate trekking permit is required.
The Wakhan permission takes the form of a handwritten letter in Persian
from the commandant in Ishkashim, currently Wahid Khan. The letter must
state you have permission to visit Wakhan and the Afghan Pamir if you intend
to visit either the Big Pamir or Little Pamir. You may be asked by authorities to
show this letter at various places, but most certainly at the checkpost in Qila-e
Panja and in Sarhad-e Broghil (authorities find you in the village). If you dont
have a letter, you will be sent back to Ishkashim.
To request permission, contact the Afghan Tourism Organization (ATO)
who will coordinate with government ministries as needed and issue a typewritten letter that you must then take to Wahid Khans office when you arrive
in Ishkashim. ATOs main office (telephone 0093-020-2300-338, mobile
0093-0-70673560) is near Kabul International Airport on the right-hand side
of the road 100m before the roundabout when coming from the city. ATO also
staffs a desk at the airport in the waiting hall just after customs clearance.
Please keep in mind that tourism in Afghanistan is in its initial stages. While
tourism policy evolves and ATO and the ministries develop their capabilities
further, the Aga Khan Foundation-Afghanistan (tel 873-763-631-488) House
43, Street 13, Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul) is willing to facilitate requests.

PASSED THROUGH WAKHAN AND WAS IN CONTINUAL USE FROM 100 B.C. UNTIL THE 8TH CENTURY A.D.

In the middle of the Pamir valley is

a great dragon lake, clean and pure as a
mirror; the colour of the lake is
dark blue and the taste of
Pristine alpine
landscapes
are soft.
home to
the water
sweet and
Wakhans emblematic
wildlife.
Hsuan Tsang

VISAS
A visa stamped in your passport permits you to enter and travel in
Afghanistan for a specific period of time. You can apply for a tourist visa at
any Afghanistan embassy or consulate. A single-entry tourist visa is typically
valid for one month from the date of arrival in Afghanistan. Visa requirements
and fees vary according to length of stay and nationality and can change
without notice, so first check with any Afghan embassy or consulate, visa
service or reputable travel agency.

VISITORS FOR NEARLY AS LONG. THE SILK ROAD, WHICH LINKED ANCIENT CHINA WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN,

Wakhan is a destination for the truly intrepid traveller. This planning

information will help you begin your trip of a lifetime. To travel in Wakhan,
you need good planning, sound judgment, and self-reliance. Recognise the
limits of your own abilities and how best to integrate your knowledge and
experience to make sound decisions. Most of all, travelling in Wakhan calls
for a spirit of adventure and an open-hearted sense of humour.
Everything is changing quickly in Afghanistan and Wakhan, so please
do your own research by checking directly with embassies, airlines,
tourist offices and tour operators for the most current information
and costs. Costs are particularly vulnerable to change, so use the costs
here as a guideline for budgeting purposes only.

THE UPPER AMU DARYA REGION HAS BEEN POPULATED FOR MORE THAN 2500 YEARS, AND WAKHAN HAS RECEIVED

Published by the Aga Khan Foundation-Afghanistan, an agency of the Aga Khan

Development Network, www.akdn.org
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, used, reprinted or sold
without the written permission of the publisher.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign

Affairs and GTZ support the Wakhan
tourism development program, which
is being implemented by the Aga
Khan Foundation - Afghanistan.

German Technical Cooperation

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a group

of development agencies working in health, education,
culture and rural and economic development, primarily
in Asia and Africa. It is dedicated to improving living
conditions and opportunities for the poor, without
regard to their faith, origin or gender.
AKDN has been active in Afghanistan since 1996 and
is now undertaking a range of development initiatives
addressing issues of food security, infrastructure
rehabilitation, upgrading and support for healthcare
and educational institutions, water and sanitation,
revitalization of cultural assets and urban development.
Network activities are also responding to the need for
investment in priority sectors of the economy such as
microfinance, telecommunications and tourism.
Through the integrated efforts of its agencies,
institutions, and affiliates and in cooperation with a
wide range of international and local partners AKDN
has made significant achievements in its long-term
commitment to the reconstruction and development
of Afghanistan.

www.wakhan.org

Kyrgyz woman
with newborn.